Reporting year: 2024/25
2024/25 Annual Report: hotline, email and volunteer training
This reading version covers printed pages 4 and 5 (PDF pages 6 and 7). The original PDF includes the full annual report and financial statements.
24-hour multilingual hotline
| Measure | Calls |
|---|---|
| Number of calls | 24,227 |
| Monthly average | 2,019 |
| Daily average | 66 |
Breakdown of calls received
| Language | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| All languages | 9,648 | 5,548 |
| Chinese | 7,107 | 3,429 |
| English | 2,402 | 2,096 |
| Other | 139 | 23 |
Silent callers: 9,031.
Befriending email
Total emails: 800.
| Language | Emails |
|---|---|
| English | 623 |
| Chinese | 177 |
| Gender | Emails |
|---|---|
| Male | 522 |
| Female | 196 |
| Unknown | 82 |
Volunteer training
The total number of new volunteers recruited was 26.
Continuing our tradition, we successfully delivered three comprehensive training courses this year, welcoming 26 new volunteers to our team. These individuals, representing a broad age range and diverse backgrounds, have now begun contributing their time and energy to our hotline service.
We are consistently inspired by the dedication of these newcomers, who join us to support the Samaritans’ mission of suicide prevention through compassionate listening. Our Training Team, comprising experienced and committed volunteers, facilitates these three annual courses. Each six-week programmes is conducted primarily in English with Cantonese support, featuring an intensive curriculum of role-playing, group discussions, and practical exercises. This rigorous process equips participants with the essential skills to listen with empathy, non-judgment, and strict confidentiality.
Upon graduation, new volunteers are paired with mentors to guide them through their initial shifts. Furthermore, our robust volunteer care system ensures ongoing emotional support, addressing the well-being and needs of our team throughout their service journey.
